| NAME Richard BUCK | Name variations: None encountered. |
|---|---|
| Birth Date and Place | 26 Jan 1820 Honingham, Norfolk, England [Tinstaafl Transcripts Norfolk]. |
| Baptism Date and Place | 3 Feb 1820 Honingham, Norfolk [Honingham Baptismal Register]. |
| Marriage Date and Place | 1st: 27 May 1852 Church of Saint George [not verified], Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#427]. 2nd: 16 May 1859 St Patrick’s Church (RC), Adelaide, South Australia [SABDM Reg.#38/169]. 3rd: 29 May 1889 St George’s Cathedral [not verified], Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#151]. |
| Spouse | 1st: Mary Ann GORDON (d.1857 SA). 2nd: Mary OBYRNE/O’BYRNE (d.1881 WA). 3rd: Sarah FARMER – widow of Mr. Roberts (d.1892 WA). |
| Children | 1st Marriage: Richard George b.1853 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#2028]. William Henry and/or Henry Richard b.1855, d.1856 Perth, Western Australia [Reg.#2960 & WASRO Acc. 6809A/2].* Elizabeth Martha b.1857 (d.1857) Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#3712]. 2nd Marriage: Emily b.1860 Stockade, Adelaide, South Australia [SABDM Reg.#15/288]. Ellen Lydia b.1861 Stockade, Adelaide, South Australia [SABDM Reg.#20/198]. Mary Ann b.1863 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#6997]. Alice Jane b.1865 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#8347]. Robert John b.1867 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#9976]. Thomas b.1869 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#11955]. James b.1871 (d.1872) Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#13508]. Martha b.1874 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#15445]. Alfred Henry b.1876 Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#17817]. |
| Occupations | Convict Guard 1840/41 [WO12-9612-299]. Constable WA Police 1851-1857 [BENT]. Warder, Yatala Labour Prison, Dry Creek, South Australia 1859-1862 [BISA]. Constable WA Police 1862; Corporal Jan 1874; Sergeant Sep 1874. Retired 1 Jul 1878 [CONOLE] . Governor’s Coachman 1883-1889 [CONOLE]. |
| Land Acquisition in WA | |
| Death Date and Place | 4 Feb 1905 442 Beaufort Street, Perth, Western Australia [WABDM Reg.#1784]. Cause of Death: Senile Decay. |
| Burial Date and Place | 6 Feb 1905 East Perth Cemetery, Western Australia [EPCEM]. Church of England Section. |
| Death, Funeral, Obituary Notices | West Australian 6 Feb 1905 [TROVE]. Daily News 6 Feb 1905 [TROVE]. |
| Will and Probate | Will: 22 Oct 1903. Probate: 23 Feb 1905, Supreme Court of Western Australia. [WASRO Cons. 3403-1905-030]. |
| BRITISH ARMY | |
|---|---|
| Regiment | 96th Regiment of Foot. |
| Soldier No. and Rank | #1407 Private. |
| Enlistment Date and Place | 5 Oct 1839 Norwich, Norfolk [WO12-9611-127]. Age 18 years. Bounty paid to recruit £3 5s. 0d. First Muster 29 Oct 1839 District Recruitment Office. |
| Physical Description | Height: 5 ft. 5 ins. [WO12-9611-127]. |
| Medals, Clasps and Badges | Good Conduct Badge 1d. per diem from 3 Apr 1847 [WO12-9622]. |
| Arrival Van Diemen’s Land: Ship and Date | Hindostan. Dep. 7 Oct 1840 Sheerness. Arr. 19 Jan 1841 Hobart (disembarked 30 Jan 1841) [WO12-9612-299]. |
| Arrival South Australia: Ship and Date | Eudora 15 Oct 1841 from Hobart, VDL dep. 5 Oct 1841 [WO12-9613-195]. |
| Arrival Western Australia: Ship and Date | Java 24 Feb 1847 from Hobart, embarked 27 Jan 1847 [WO12-9620-334]. |
| Military Postings within Western Australia | Perth HQ 24 Feb to 31 Mar 1847 [WO12-9620-324]. On Command 1-30 Apr 1847 [WO12-9622-10]. Perth HQ 1 May to 30 Jun 1847 [WO12-9622-10]. On Guard or Perth HQ 1 Jul to 31 Oct 1847 [WO12-9622-35&56]. Rottnest 1 Nov 1847 to 31 Aug 1848 [WO12-9622-56/82/113/143]. On Command 1 Sep 1848 to 31 Jan 1849 [WO12-9622-143/171/199].** Perth HQ 1-27 Apr 1849 [deduced as WO12-9624 Musters are not extant in WA]. |
| Courts Martial in Western Australia | None. |
| Discharge Date and Place | 
14 May 1849 Perth, Western Australia – Conditional [WO28-266-102]. |
| Age at Discharge | 31 years [deduced]. |
| Length of Service | 12 years [deduced]. |
| ADDITIONAL DETAILS |
|---|
 Daily News 6 Feb 1905 * William Henry and/or Henry Richard are anomalous in various sources. William H. has a birth registration but no record of death, while Henry R. has no birth registration but has a burial recorded. As the birth and burial dates are 1855/1856 respectively, we can probably assume it is the same child or twins. ** During this period, the WA Surveyor General John Septimus Roe recruited Private Buck to be one of five men to accompany him on his last exploration expedition [Conole]. This experience would have stood Richard Buck in good stead when he accompanied Robert Austin into the Murchison (see sidebar). Mollie Bentley’s book Grandfather was a Policeman: The Western Australia Police Force 1829-1889, Hesperian Press 1993 is a wonderful resource for researching police officers in Western Australia – Richard Buck was no exception. For a more detailed account of Richard Buck’s long and interesting life click here. |